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Polyps

Polyps are non-cancerous but premalignant growths that develop in the lining of your bowel. Around 40 % of people over the age of 50 are found to have polyps in their bowel during a colonoscopy examination, though many of these are small and of little importance.

What are polyps?

Polyps are growths in your bowel that are non-cancerous. A polyp may have a distinct stalk and a head, while in other cases they’re much flatter and look like lumps on the lining of your bowel. Polyps can occur anywhere in your colon or rectum, so it is important to examine the whole colon from rectum to appendix.

Most people only have a single polyp, but there may be two or more. In general, most people won’t have more than five polyps in their bowel. Even if the polyp isn’t causing symptoms, you should still have it removed to prevent it becoming cancerous in future years.